Asked by qp

Therefore a prince, so long as he keeps his subjects united and loyal, ought not to mind the reproach of cruelty; because with a few examples he will be more merciful than those who, through too much mercy, allow disorders to arise, from which follow murders or robberies; for these are wont to injure the whole people, whilst those executions which originate with a prince offend the individual only.

–The Prince,
Niccolò Machiavelli

Which statement best summarizes the argument in the passage?

A cruel leader will prevent subjects from living in a place of crime and violence.
A cruel leader will cause subjects to commit crime and violence in rebellion.
A cruel leader will execute subjects who are guilty of committing crime and violence.
A cruel leader who is faced with crime and violence must unite subjects.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
A

Explanation: Machiavelli argues that limited cruelty (punishments) prevents broader disorder and crime, protecting the populace overall, so harshness can be justified to stop widespread violence.